The Guise administration granted him a large super-governorship centred on the Duchy of Anjou in 1560, a territory he would govern for the next five years before handing it over to his son in 1565.

By 1561, he was becoming increasingly alienated from the crown's religious policy and moved into opposition with Anne de Montmorency and François, Duke of Guise.

Montpensier had by now tired of the militant Catholicism he had held for the past decades, and through his support behind toleration and peace, arguing unsuccessfully that it was the only policy that would save France in front of the Estates General.

On the occasion of his marriage, the King of France returned the lands of Gilbert, Count of Montpensier, and the Counties of Forez, Beaujeu and Dombes to his mother.

During the crisis the Edict of Amboise was published from the castle, offering amnesty to those convicted of heresy under certain conditions, the first step towards toleration the crown had undertaken.

[6] In the immediate aftermath of the attempt on the castle of Amboise, flying columns were sent out under several military leaders to crush subsidiary uprisings in various towns.

[7] Successfully besting this challenge, the Guise were conscious that Condé was likely involved, and as instability continued to rock France in the following months, they sought to isolate him from the other Princes of the Blood, his cousins Montpensier and La Roche-sur-Yon.

[9] With the premature death of François shortly after Condé's arrest, in December 1560, his brother Charles IX ascended to the throne.

[13] Increasingly alienated from the crown by their toleration policy, he associated himself with the rapprochement between François, Duke of Guise and Anne de Montmorency in 1561, joining them in their agreement to protect the Catholic faith from 'heresy'.

[16] With the rebel momentum dissipating after July 1562, Montpensier and Jacques d'Albon were sent out at the head of flying columns to consolidate the royal hold of the Loire and Poitou.

To this end he supported their petition to the king demanding the right to pursue justice against the Admiral, but the crown was not interested in allowing this vendetta to progress and refused.

[22] In 1565 frustrated at the failure to achieve satisfaction via legal methods the Guise family turned to the idea of forming a Ligue of nobles to pursue their vendetta.

This climaxed after the murder of the Protestant lieutenant-general of Vendóme, Jeanne having several suspected perpetrators arrested, while Montpensier sought their release.

The crown decided in favour of Jeanne and Montpensier was relieved of his office after a stream of frustrated missives reached the court.

[26] After the failure of the Surprise of Meaux in which Condé had sought to capture the king and kill his prominent ultra Catholic advisers, civil war resumed.

To replace him the court wished to avoid a powerful noble independent of the crown holding the critical military office.

Still a teenager, Artus de Cossé-Brissac, Jacques, Duke of Nemours and Montpensier were assigned to guide his military decision making.

[29] Montpensier led the vanguard as Anjou's army moved out of Paris in pursuit of the fleeing Condé who was leading his forces towards the German border.

[31] The viscounts of southern France rose to supplement Condé's army shortly thereafter, and while some reached him, Montpensier bested a column of reinforcements in Périgord on 25 October in combination with Marshal Cossé.

Disgusted that the marriage had been conducted in the Protestant fashion and without Papal approval voiced his disapproval to Charles and refused to attend the wedding.

The mayor however was cautious, keeping the letter a secret until such time he had direct orders from the king which confirmed that he did not in fact want a massacre.

[42][43] The civil wars were now no longer so clearly delineated on religious grounds, and when a conspiracy arose to jailbreak Condé and Navarre, many Catholic notables including Damville joined them in the plan.

Henri III, recently returned from Poland-Lithuania prepared several armies to meet the opposition, under the command of Guise, Montpensier and himself.

[45] In January 1575 Montpensier had been campaigning around La Rochelle, seizing critical subsidiary towns around the major centre of resistance to the crowns authority.

His efforts, including a plea before the estates general that war would solve nothing, and that toleration was necessary at least for the short term to stop the kingdom collapsing.

[57] His political shift towards toleration brought him benefit in his long running feud for precedence with the Guise, as he was granted seniority of position in ceremonies over the house.

To support him in his hold on the state, baron de Biron and Montpensier's son were tasked with reinforcing him, they arrived on 1 December.